The present invention relates to a lighting system that can be removably affixed to an emergency vehicle to enhance the visibility of the emergency vehicle from all angles and from a distance that allows ample time for corrective action on the part of approaching drivers. More particularly, to a inexpensive exterior lighting system that can be easily integrated into the vehicle's electrical system or electronic alert sequencing unit and attached to exterior locations about the emergency vehicle such as the door or hood.
Most conventional emergency vehicles today have a variable audible alert, sequenced flashing head/tail/side light assemblies and a roof mounted light bar containing at least one light source designed to disburse light in 360 degrees. These lights may be solid, stroboscopic, revolving, flashing, modulated, pulsing, oscillating, alternating or any combination thereof. While in most situations any of the aforementioned devices will adequately alert a passerby of the presence of the emergency vehicle, there are crucial situations in which this is not the case. Specifically, when an emergency vehicle must enter into an intersection at the junction of more than one road, problems arise.
When exigent circumstances exist, the emergency vehicle often has to traverse the intersection against the prevailing traffic light. While those vehicles approaching approximately head on with the emergency vehicle receive the benefit of all of the emergency vehicle's alert devices, objects such as trees, bushes, other vehicles, or knolls often obstruct the view that vehicles approaching at acute angles have. Additionally, vehicles approaching the emergency vehicle at right angles (broadside) are already disadvantaged because they do not have the benefit of a visual line of sight with the emergency vehicle's front flashing lights as well as much of the roof mounted light bar alerts. Protocol is for the emergency vehicle to slowly creep into the intersection with the alert devices enabled. Herein lies the problem. The conventional system is not visible to the driver approaching at right angles until the center of the emergency vehicle is out into the middle of the intersection. At this time if the approaching vehicle is moving too fast to stop the emergency vehicle gets struck broadside and at the approximate center of the vehicle.
A similar problem arises when the emergency vehicle must be left unattended in an intersection, as is often the case at intersection accidents or where access to a road must be physically blocked from use by the emergency vehicle. Vehicles approaching the emergency vehicle at right angles are at the greatest danger of colliding with the emergency vehicle.
The present invention is a system of emergency vehicle lighting that uses a hood/trunk mounted LED assembly and a door mounted LED strip. The hood/trunk LED assembly has an enhanced three dimensional geometrical configuration that allows the light emitted from the LEDs to be seen from an approximate 135 degree horizontal viewing angle from either side of the longitudinal centerline of the emergency vehicle (270 degree total field of horizontal view) and a vertical field of view that encompasses all possible situations.
Henceforth, an emergency vehicle lighting device and system would fulfill a long felt need in the emergency vehicle industry. This new invention utilizes and combines known and new technologies in a unique and novel configuration to overcome the aforementioned problems and accomplish this.